Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-05-Speech-4-173"
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"en.20001005.12.4-173"2
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".
Madam President, High Representative, honourable Members. I agree with the High Representative’s observations on the situation in the Middle East and on the situation in Belgrade. Allow me to start by saying a few words on Serbia. During the elections on 24 September, the Serbian people ousted Milosevic and his regime. The Serbian people voted clearly in favour of a new beginning with new political leaders.
I should like to make a few comments on the dramatic and rapid developments in the Middle East. We feel deep sorrow and sympathy for the numerous victims. It is mainly Palestinians who have fallen victim to the conflicts which have re-ignited over the last few days. We cannot be harsh enough in condemning the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force. We condemn any action which deserves to be seen as provocation, especially in connection with the holy sites in Jerusalem.
We welcome and support the efforts being made by President Chirac, President Mubarak and Secretary of State Albright and can only hope that the supreme objective of ending the violence and restoring peace and order will be achieved.
On the question of the committee of enquiry, the Commission supports the Presidency’s stance. Obviously, this crisis may have dangerous repercussions on the peace process. We share this concern. Nonetheless – and I take the same view here as Mr Solana – it would be premature to consider that agreement between Israel and Palestine is now out of the question. The window of opportunity will be open until the end of October. After that, the stability of Prime Minister Barak’s government will be in jeopardy and there will be tremendous pressure on President Arafat to declare statehood.
I hope that the meeting between President Mubarak, President Arafat and Prime Minister Barak in Sharm el Sheik will mark a return to constructive negotiation on a lasting peace agreement.
It is our job to convince Israel that recognising and respecting the rights of the Palestinians, with all the compromises which that implies, is the best way of safeguarding its long-term national interests. Israel’s long-term interests lie in lasting peace. We must convince the Palestinians that the best way of achieving their objectives and safeguarding their rights is to negotiate with Israel.
I should like to reaffirm that the European Union supports the peace process because it is the only mechanism which can make the only possible alternative for Israel and the Palestinian people come true. Fair, comprehensive peace, even if it means painful compromises on both sides. However complicated the issues may be, the parties must grab the historic chance which they now have. Anything else would be an awful tragedy.
Negotiations should build on the progress made in Camp David in July. This progress was not directly tangible, to be sure, because the summit as a whole was not successful. But nor was Camp David a failure, because the gulf between the parties was clearly narrowed and some serious taboos were overcome.
The European Union’s stand on the substance of the peace process has not changed. We support the parties in negotiating an agreement in keeping with the principles and references of the peace process set in motion in Madrid. We are convinced that a compromise can be found on all the points at issue. We are also prepared to make a contribution and provide help. If, as we hope, the parties manage to conclude an agreement, the European Union will add its political and financial support to the efforts being made by others on the basis of a fair distribution of the burden and will meet the parties’ demands to a reasonable extent.
We are prepared to work on securing stability in the region and, in the long term, on safeguarding the permanent welfare of the region through sustainable economic growth and an improved standard of living, so that the people in the region can reap the benefits of peace. This philosophy is in complete accord with a stronger Barcelona Europe-Mediterranean process and we shall continue our efforts within the context of that process.
The European Union has always made it clear that the Serbian people have as much right to be in Europe as any of the other people of Europe. We have always made it clear that we would radically revise our policy towards Serbia if the Serbian people voted at the elections in favour of the opposition and, hence, democratic change. We made it clear – and I should like to reaffirm this – that any decision in favour of democratic change would also be a decision to return to Europe. There is not the shadow of a doubt that this message was heard in Serbia and the Serbian people have cast their vote.
The victory has been won, although the regime has made and continues to make huge efforts to forestall it. The question of whether democratic change can now be introduced and if it can be introduced without violence will perhaps be decided in the next few hours on the streets of Belgrade. Allow me to say loud and clear: Europe unreservedly supports the democratic opposition in Serbia.
We call for the voice of the Serbian people to be heard and respected and we share its burning desire to see the back of Milosevic and his cohorts, who have brought so much suffering and unhappiness to so many, both in Serbia and in several other countries. As soon as the will of the people is respected – and it will be, of that I have no doubt – what has happened in Serbia will create an opportunity for real, lasting peace in the Balkans. It will give the Serbian people the chance to rejoin the European family of nations and to build a peaceful and stable future together with its neighbours.
If the Serbian people bring about democratic change – and the European Union promised this a long time ago – the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will enjoy the same benefits as its neighbours and the European Union will maintain the same relations with it. We must be prepared to keep this promise as soon as the will of the people is respected.
As Mr Solana has already indicated – and I can confirm that the Commission is already working on reconstruction aid for the Serbian economy and infrastructure – this aid will come to fruition as soon as a democratic government is in office. We are prepared to lift sanctions and provide emergency aid against the harsh winter conditions.
The President of the Commission commented last week that this is an immense task which we must tackle immediately and without delay, as soon as the will of the people is respected. I think that the signal which this debate sends to Belgrade today will be decisive. The message which Parliament must send can only be to urge Milosevic one more time, perhaps for the last time, to see the writing on the wall, step down and pave the way for democratic change in Serbia."@en1
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